Song of Rain
by monkeyCsaw
Summary: As a kit plays in the rain, a mother feels her sorrows being lifted and her heart melting. One-shot, written for Warriors Challenge Forum. Enjoy.


**Yet another challenge from Warrior's Challenge forum! This one for Moonblaze's "Simply Beautiful" challenge; I was given "rain falling softly on a gloomy day" and I hope this turned out better than I think. For all those wondering what in the heck is going on with Legendary, please be patient with me. I'm suffering through massive writer's block and school just started and agh. Update will be coming, hopefully, pray for it, next week :) Enjoy!**

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_Drip. Drip. Drip. Drip. Drip._

Gold-amber eyes peered out of the small den curiously, watching the rain fall just a few pawsteps from where they sat, dry and warm. They watched in fascination as each drop fell and separated into a ripple in a muddy puddle. Behind them, bright blue eyes gazed outside as well, peering up at the gloomy grey sky. Exhaustion hovered at the edges of the cerulean eyes; they looked sad and tired.

The gold-amber eyes turned, still wide and curious, to the owner of the blue eyes, a sleek silver tabby she-cat. The older cat looked down at the fluffy white kit, a faint light sparking in the blue depths of her eyes.

"May I go outside, Mother? For a little while?" she asked quietly. The silver tabby nodded silently and felt a purr rise in her chest as her kit's tail shot up.

The little white kit turned and hopped out, ears flicking the water droplets that spattered from the low hanging branches at the entrance off. She gazed in wonder at the wet world. The camp was deserted, her Clanmates having taken refuge in their various dens. She took a hesitant step forward, then another, and another, until she was standing just out of reach of the rain's ice-cold fingers. She crept out hesitantly, shivering, and tilted her head upwards with eyes closed to allow the water to slide down her well-curved cheeks.

Mother watched her kit with warm affection, but with that same weary grief still weighing her down, turning her bones and paws to cold stones. The kit mewled in surprise as a drop landed straight on her nose. Mother was up in an instant, poking her head out of the den and flicking her long pink tongue against her kit's nose, lapping the cold water off. Warm gold eyes met her own and the kit flicked her own little pale tongue out, licking her mother on the nose well. Mother chuckled, watching as her kit backed away a little and began to bat at the muddy puddles. Mud splashed up around her small paws, turning her glowing white fur brown as she continued to play.

The scent of rain seemed to cleanse her as she continued to sit there, half in and half out, her head growing heavy as rain began to wet her fur. The cold water soaked her skin and left her trembling slightly but she did not move. She turned her eyes skyward, blue watching grey, and allowed the rain to clean her face just as her kit had a few moments ago. The sound of rain washed away all other sounds but of her kit purring and mewing. She turned her head once more to watch her; as her daughter continued to play, she was replaced with a little silver tabby she-kit, batting at the rain, sleek fur shimmering with water, blue eyes blazing with fierce joy.

Mother felt a low purr rumble deep in her chest as memories of her own innocent kithood replaced the more recent images of blood and heavy sorrow.

The kit squealed, scampering up, eyes alive once more. She bounced up on her toes and rubbed against her mother lovingly. Mother didn't mind the dirt that soiled her own silver fur; she nuzzled her kit's head affectionately, lapping up the cold water sliding down her daughter's cheeks. They looked like tears, she reflected wearily. She had seen too many of her daughter's tears; when her brother was killed by a rogue and when her father was drowned as the river swelled. The kit's eyes met her own in that moment in the deep molten gold depths, Mother saw her own brokenness reflected right back at her, and yet, a sort of wholeness she did not possess. Her daughter's spirit shone strongly she though admiringly. Strong and bright and lovely her daughter was. Her bright blue eyes lit up at the thought and her kit purred happily, snuggling up against her mother's chest, worn out from her playing. Mother bent her chin so her daughter was tucked against her chest, closing her eyes and purring, the vibrations soothing her kit to sleep.

"I'm sleepy, Rainsong," the kit whispered blearily. Mother laughed lightly, standing and carrying her back into the den. She groomed her kit's fur until it gleamed and as her daughter curled up in her nest, ready for sleep once more, she caught her last mumbled words. "I love you, Mother."

Rainsong rasped her tongue against her small head. "I love you too, Cloudkit."

The moment she shared with her daughter in the rain on a gloomy grey day was quietly beautiful. Simply beautiful.

Beautiful.


End file.
